1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of optical fiber transmission and amplification systems, and in particular, to improved multicore transmission and amplifier fibers and schemes for launching and controlling both signal and amplifier pump light.
2. Background Art
There is significant ongoing interest in the development of multicore optical fiber transmission systems. One technical issue that must be addressed, particularly for longer distance signal transport, is how best to provide amplification for multichannel transmissions carried by multicore fiber spans. Generally speaking, prior structures are unsuitable for use in such systems because of their unique geometry.